C&C 34+ Rudder Support Question...

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Richard Servance

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Jan 25, 2026, 9:18:29 PMJan 25
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Hi all,

I’m getting started on some steering work and haven’t been able to track down a clear drawing of the rudder installation.

Question I’m trying to confirm: does the Edson radial drive (quadrant / “radial” that the steering cables attach to) provide any structural support that retains the rudder in the boat, or is the rudder fully supported/retained by the rudder tube/bearings (with the quadrant just clamped to the stock for steering)?

I’m working on the steering idler plate and would like to remove and preserve the radial drive wheel, but I'm in the water and absolutely don’t want to create any risk of the rudder dropping.

If anyone has:
A quick “yes/no” on how the rudder is retained on these boats (collar/keeper, upper bearing, etc.), and/or
Any drawings/photos of the rudder post/bearing/quadrant arrangement for the 34+.

…I’d really appreciate it.

This project is likely to scope creep into a below deck autopilot installation, but the first priority is to tackle the rusted hulk of the idler plate. Bolt removal scorecard: 1 of the4x 3" aluminum bolts removed cleanly. One shared off at the deck. One hasn't budged or broken, and one has the head starting to round. Halfway there! 😜

The steering chain and cables look good and I will likely clean, lubricate and reinstall them. I need to replace the engine cables, which is the original reason for tackling this (before I inspected the idler) 😱

Hope all your projects are humming along.

Thanks in advance.

Richard Bigley

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Jan 25, 2026, 9:35:31 PMJan 25
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Hey Richard.  I too broke 1 or 2 of the Al bolts at the base of the pedistal. And replaces bolts on the idler.  My plate was in okay shape so I cleaned it up. Painted and reinstalled.  I would recommend replacing the steering cable and chain. After an outing like this year  Winter Vashon, I was sure glad I hard replaced the cable, a lot of pressure on the steering system!
Feel free to get ahold of me for more info about our steering rebuild. 

Richard Bigley 34+ s/v Jolly Rumbalow 

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Tim Aseltine

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Jan 25, 2026, 9:36:15 PMJan 25
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Hi Richard.

The quadrant does not hold the rudder up. There is a large bolt with bearings on each side that goes through the shaft that holds the rudder up. I thought I had a picture from last winter when i removed the rudder and rebuilt it. 

Tim Aseltine 

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Richard Servance

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Jan 25, 2026, 11:16:49 PMJan 25
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Thanks Richard and Tim!

Very helpful to know.  Being able to take the radial drive off will simplify a lot of the upcoming work!  

Sail safe,


Richard Servance

1990 C&C 34+

757-995-3416

svblue...@gmail.com

@svblueheaven

Seattle, WA





Tim Aseltine

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Jan 25, 2026, 11:21:24 PMJan 25
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Take a quick picture with your cell underneath the quadrant to be sure everything is good. If your steering is smooth then you should be good. I alway want to see everything first..

Tim

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On Jan 25, 2026, at 11:16 PM, Richard Servance <hics...@gmail.com> wrote:


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jsey...@appliedmechanics.net

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Jan 26, 2026, 10:34:51 AMJan 26
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The idler plate replacement is a necessary project that we will all have to (or had to) do at some point. 

 

I also recommend replacing the steering chain and cable while you have everything apart. 

 

John Seymour

Blair Clark

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Jan 26, 2026, 11:57:04 AMJan 26
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Hi there

My pictures are bouncing back again.

I will try and send some photos directly to richard.

Hope they make it.

Blair
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Blair Clark <blairc...@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 26, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: C&C 34+ Rudder Support Question...
To: <cc-...@googlegroups.com>


Hi there,

Several years ago i replaced the idler plate on our 1990 C&C 34+.

It turned into a job, some key points learning from this:
1) yes consider replacing anything that runs through the binnacle ie steering chain/ wire, engine throttle and gear cables  wiring for electronics etc

2) the plate becomes an issue as the “new” edson aluminum plate is thicker than original mild steel and raising the height of the binnacle can cause issues. 
I was fortunate as an edson rep worked with me to fashion a stainless steel plate and reused the original pulleys and supports. Going forward probabky easier to work with local machine shop to custom fabricate.

3) i had to cut an opening in headliner of aft cabin to access nuts. The binnacle guard should be rebedded at the same time.

I am available to call on whats app 902-423-4651 if you think i could hlep.

Blair 

Chuck Scheaffer

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Jan 26, 2026, 2:05:19 PMJan 26
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As stated earlier, the weight of the rudder is supported by two bronze rollers with a bolt/axle just below the quadrant.  You can remove the quadrant without risking the rudder falling out of the boat.  I replaced my idler back in 2015 and my write-up of that experience is larger than the 8M limit of googlegroups but you can find it on cncphotoalbum.com under the DIY articles there.   One of the photos shows the rollers and quadrant looking from the dock but you have to zoom in to find them.

Edson recommends changing the chain and cable every ten years, so I would change it and keep the old one for a spare.


Chuck


On Mon, Jan 26, 2026 at 1:46 PM Chuck Scheaffer <scheaff...@gmail.com> wrote:
As stated earlier, the weight of the rudder is supported by two bronze rollers with a bolt/axle just below the quadrant.  You can remove the quadrant without risking the rudder falling out of the boat.  I replaced my idler back in 2015 and share my write-up of that experience again.   One of the photos shows the rollers and quadrant looking from the dock but you have to zoom in to find them.

Edson recommends changing the chain and cable every ten years, so I would change it and keep the old one for a spare.

Chuck

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Richard Servance

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Jan 27, 2026, 8:02:13 PMJan 27
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Hi all,

Thanks for all the responses and images. Super helpful. I haven't found your post on the CNC phot album yet, Charles, but I did see a similar one on another boat.  Next question, have many of you found the pedestal bedded down with some sealant?  Bolts are out - some in anger - but the pedestal is just as fast to the deck as before.  I've got some Debond Marine Formula soaking and starting to wonder how much force I will need to apply.

Radial wheel is out, as is the chain and cables for measurement and re-order.  I'll gone on removing the wires while I figure out the force/mass equations for pedestal yerking.

Best,
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Chuck Scheaffer

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Jan 27, 2026, 8:59:14 PMJan 27
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My write up of the idler plate is still viewable on cncphotoalbum.com 

It's on the Do It Yourself page, fourth item on middle column, "Changing an Idler Plate"

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Richard Servance

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Jan 27, 2026, 9:50:13 PMJan 27
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Found it! 🙂 
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Blair Clark

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Jan 28, 2026, 7:24:28 AMJan 28
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They say there may be no stupid questions but this may challenge it… did yiu remove the binnacle guard yet? Going from memory i think the binnacle has a bracket connected to jt.

Sorry if not helpful
Blair 

Richard Servance

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Jan 28, 2026, 10:07:09 AMJan 28
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Kindnof... The binnacle guard is disconnected from the pedestal at the top. Images show set screws in the plastic binnacle guard feet. I found none. That said, I have not been able to persuade the binnacle guard to lift from those feet. 





It doesn't appear there's any connection between the binnacle and pedestal or idler plate at the bottom. I suspect adhesion by sealant, rust, or some other connection to the idler plate.


Chuck Scheaffer

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Jan 28, 2026, 12:15:35 PMJan 28
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Your pedestal guard looks similar to mine.  On the 34R, the feet are a simple aluminum cup and have a single bolt that goes through the cockpit floor with a washer and nut underneath.  Then there is a 1" long 1/4" 20 bolt that goes through the unthreaded cup, and screws into the pedestal guard.  This is similar to stanchions.  One 1/4 20 secures each stanchion to the base on the toerail.

I know the R model is different and all the nuts for the pedestal are accessible from below.  I believe the plus model incorporated an aluminum plate in the cockpit floor and they drilled and tapped holes for all the pedestal bolts.  I prefer the throughbolted method.

The stainless guard must be separated from the aluminum cup using PB Blaster.  Soak it for a long time.  If it doesn't loosen, try heating the metals with a heat gun or a torch to break the bond.

Chuck



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Richard Servance

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Jan 28, 2026, 10:05:58 PMJan 28
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She's out!!!
The idler plate vacuumed up nicely. This project couldn't have waited another day as I think only sheesh willpower was holding the steering system together.

Not even enough idler left to template from.

I hadn't drilled enough of the forward bolts out for them to let go.

Next step is to get into the aft lazarette, chase my wire and cable runs, and find where they terminate or choose where to cut them. I'll bring the pedestal home to refurb it: bearings, brakes, and topcoat. I'm leaning towards the Edson idler plate and getting a filler ring fabricated instead of a locally fabbed plate.

Thanks for the palpable distance support!
11376.jpg
11373.jpg

Blair Clark

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Jan 29, 2026, 6:34:56 AMJan 29
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Congratulations…one small but important point to take note of is what side of idler plate each wire runs into. The first time i reran steering cables we would have turned opposite to intended. PITA to rerun.

Hope this helps

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David Knecht

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Jan 29, 2026, 10:09:30 AMJan 29
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It seems that many idler plates on these boats have failed, but some seem fine after a similar time frame.  I have looked at mine with an inspection camera and it looked OK.  Does anyone have a hypothesis as to why some are completely rusted and others seem OK?  I don't see how salt water can be getting to them and I wouldn't think salt air would do that.  The plate the steering cables attach to (what is that called?) attached to the rudder shaft seems much more exposed and yet mine is untarnished.  Are the materials they are made out of different?  Given the rust, I presume one is aluminum and the other steel?  Dave

David Knecht
S/V Aries
1990 C&C 34+
New London, CT

pastedGraphic.tiff

Blair Clark

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Jan 29, 2026, 10:12:15 AMJan 29
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To add even more to question why our boat was only. “Salt water” boat for 4 years before i replaced it.

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Richard Servance

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Jan 29, 2026, 12:27:50 PMJan 29
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Yes, dissimilar metals. The old idler plate is mild steel, while all the other components are aluminium.  The reason the newer idler plates need modifications is that they are now aluminium and thicker. Now that I can see it, I can confirm that the 4 aluminium bolts thread into fittings bedded into the fiberglass.  I'm hoping I get away without needing to cut into the aft cabin headliner, which is a fully one piece and seamless thing.

As to the cable routing, I took video as I was disconnecting it to make sure I got the cross over locked into memory.

Back at it after work today.

Sail safe,


Richard Servance

1990 C&C 34+

757-995-3416

svblue...@gmail.com

@svblueheaven

Seattle, WA


Harvey Hauschildt

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Jan 29, 2026, 10:56:13 PMJan 29
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Richard, 
I have seen a number of owners that cut into the aft headliner and simply covered the hole with a small plate that can easily be removed at a later time if needed.  I seriously doubt you will be able to remove those bolts without acscees below. I'll see if I saved any picks from past posts and send them to you. 
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Subject: Re: C&C 34+ Rudder Support Question...

Tim Aseltine

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Jan 29, 2026, 11:02:37 PMJan 29
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I used a 5 or 6” hole saw to access in the aft cabin. I drilled it on the side so you really don’t notice it and installed a screw cover access plate.

Tim Aseltine 

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Chuck Scheaffer

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Jan 30, 2026, 8:50:38 AMJan 30
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Hi Tim,
Can you share a photo of the hole and the cover you made?

Chuck

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Tim Aseltine

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Jan 30, 2026, 9:08:32 AMJan 30
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I would love to, but with this Artic air, I haven’t seen my boat in weeks.
Here is some pictures to explain.

Tim

image0.jpeg

image1.png

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Chuck Scheaffer

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Jan 30, 2026, 9:29:51 AMJan 30
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Hi Tim,
That helps a lot.  I'm trying to understand better.
Do your pedestal bolts and guard bolts penetrate through the deck like on my R model?  
Can you access nuts on the other side of the deck well? 

Chuck

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